Iran says will negotiate if West dismantles nuclear arsenal

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's state-run IRNA news agency is reporting that a top military commander says Iran will negotiate over its missile program if the U.S. and Europe dismantle their nuclear programs.

The Saturday report quotes armed forces spokesman Gen.Masoud Jazayeri as saying "The precondition for negotiation over Iran's missiles is the dismantling of the U.S. and Europe's nuclear weapons and long-range missiles."

It is the first time that Iran has made the remarks. Iran says its missile program is a conventional one aimed at deterrence and self-defence and is not negotiable.

The Trump administration has been trying to persuade the European nations that negotiated the landmark nuclear deal with the Obama administration to accept side deals under which they would join the U.S. in re-imposing sanctions over Iran's missile programs.